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Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips could begin a minor-league rehab stint as soon as this Friday, Reds manager Bryan Price said before Wednesday's game with the Red Sox.

Price said Phillips could be back with the big league team as soon as the series in St. Louis next Monday through Wednesday, or in time for the series at home against Atlanta starting on Aug. 21.

Phillips took batting practice before Tuesday's game and was scheduled to workout with the Reds on Wednesday and again at Great American Ball Park on Thursday before reporting to either Triple-A Louisville or low-A Dayton on Friday. Price said Phillips will likely go to Louisville.

"That'll be the logical next step and then it'll be a game-by-game evaluation of how he's doing," Price said. "He's going to certainly need at least a handful of at-bats to assess where he is and get his timing back somewhat and then we'll evaluate and see where he is."

Phillips underwent surgery to repair tendons in his left thumb on July 11, the day after hurting his thumb diving for a ball.

The Reds haven't set an exact timetable for his return to the big league club, but are cautiously optimistic that he can return as soon as next week.

"Repetition is good, and we'd also like to have him back, so it's trying to find a way to marry those two things where we can get him enough playing time," Price said. "We can't put him through an entire spring training, but at least a few games and then reassess where he is and potentially have him back somewhere on the road trip or shortly after we get back."

The original diagnosis was six weeks from the July 11 surgery. Aug. 22 will be exactly six weeks from the day of his surgery. Phillips met with Price and general manager Walt Jocketty before Wednesday's game.

"He loves to play and I don't want to say he's rushed his rehab, but he's done everything he can to get back to this place where he can actually be considered to get out to a rehab assignment and join our club sooner than expected," Price said. "We're really excited not just by his recovery, but by how excited he is to get back."